


Keep It Simple

by Stratagem



Series: Thunderblink Modern AU [6]
Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Short Stories, modern no powers au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-28
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-10 09:38:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13499334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stratagem/pseuds/Stratagem
Summary: Short stories, drabbles, and prompt fills from my Modern No Powers AU. Mostly Thunderblink, Eclaris, and Tracklight centered.





	1. Calendar

**Author's Note:**

> Don’t you own a calendar?’ – Thunderblink @missmeganrachel
> 
> This request was from an age ago! Catching up now, sorryyyyy! <3
> 
> Set in the Modern No Powers AU with teenage!Thunderblink, seniors in high school.

“Clarice, what are you doing…” John leaned over to see what his girlfriend was drawing in his notebook, a slew of color pencils spread out around her as she sat crosslegged on top of the table.

“Wait,” she said, pulling it away, and he sat back, trusting her.

It was their lunch period, so they had commandeered their regular table out in the courtyard with Lorna, Marcos, and Sage. It was chilly this time of year, but it was better to sit out in the courtyard than eat in the cafeteria, which smelled distinctly of moldy French fries and desperation.

“Nothing,” she said, which meant she was definitely doing something. He reached for his notebook, and she moved it out of his reach.

“She’s drawing interlocking hearts and scribbling Clarice Proudstar all over your math problems,” Marcos said in a fake-disgusted tone, “And now she’s making a list of your future kids’ names. I hope you like the name Bertha Agnes Proudstar.”

Clarice nodded, her eyes dancing as she reached over and flicked Marcos’ ear. “Bertha Agnes is a beautiful name.”

Sage glanced at the notebook, which was now closer to her. “It’s a calendar.”

Clarice narrowed her eyes at Sage. “Spoiler.”

“Don’t you own a calendar, John?” Lorna teased.

John rolled his eyes. “Maybe I need a new one.” He didn’t mind Clarice drawing in his notebook one bit. He picked up a brownie from the lunch he had packed that morning and held it out to Clarice. She plucked it out of his fingers and popped it into her mouth as she continued to draw.

“Does anyone else want to ditch next block with me?” Lorna asked, looking pointedly at Marcos. “I can’t listen to Mr. Nichols drone on about chemical reactions again. I won’t.”

“Aren’t you failing his class?” Marcos asked, concerned.

Lorna shot him a glare. “I have a D, thanks.”

Marcos held up his hands. “I just think you should go. You could get suspended if they find you skipping again.”

“And I think you should mind your own business.”

Marcos sighed and turned his attention back to his plate, an aggravated blush on his cheeks.

Clarice reached over and affectionately ruffled his hair before glancing at Lorna. John looked at Lorna as well, his eyebrows raising. Marcos could be a little over-attentive sometimes, but he meant well. Lorna rolled her eyes.

“I might go. Maybe.” She stabbed her fork into her mashed potatoes. “We’ll see.”

“I’ll be there,” Sage said, shrugging, “I’ll keep you sane.”

Clarice slipped down from the table, sitting down beside John, her leg pressing against his, elbows brushing. “What do you think?”

She flipped his notebook toward him, displaying a brightly colored calendar with big bold letters and little stick-figure drawings. John laughed and pulled it closer to him so he could look it over.

“This is a lot of movies, Clarice,” he said with a grin, running a thumb over the paper. _Psycho, Rebel Without a Cause, Fantasia, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_.

“You said you wanted to expand your cinematic knowledge,” Clarice said, lifting her chin, “So I made a calendar for the month. No action movies.”

John sucked in a deep breath. He could do this. “You’re watching these with me, right?”

She leaned in closer. “Maybe. I’ve seen them all already.”

“You could keep me company,” he said, his eyes darting to her lips and then back to her dark green eyes, “And make sure I watch them.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Sage broke in with an incredulous laugh, “Like you’ll watch any of these if Clarice is there.”

“We should all watch them,” Lorna said, an evil grin on her face. “Movie night at John’s.”

“We’ll chaperone,” Marcos said, “Have to be proper and all.”

John sighed, and Clarice laughed, nuzzling him before she reached over and stole a carrot from his lunch bag. So much for some alone time. But Clarice’s hand rested on his knee, a silent promise that maybe they could at least watch one or two of them alone.


	2. Don't Drink the Eggnog

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set in the Modern No Powers, set back when Clarice, John, Marcos, and Lorna were seniors in high school. And I’m SO HAPPY you like my stories!

Something…was extremely alcoholic. The bite of bourbon was thick in the air of the old abandoned barn, strong enough to knock the smell of cedar, cookies, peppermint, and musty hay down to barely there.

John leaned over and gave the contents of the big metal pot a disapproving frown. Whoa, yep, that was definitely spiked. Apparently someone thought it would be a good idea to dump bourbon in the eggnog, which he knew would happen at some point, but that was a lot of alcohol in there. How was there even eggnog, anyways? It was a month after Christmas, how long did eggnog last?

Well, whatever bacteria was growing in it, the alcohol would kill it. The concoction had to be mostly alcohol, anyways. 

Going for the safer choice, he picked up two red solo cups of something red-orange and headed back to where he had left Clarice. It was midnight, and he had promised Mama D that he would get her home before one since Clarice jokingly said they would be back in three days. They would have to leave in about half an hour if he was going to keep that promise, and he intended to since Clarice’s foster mom would sit both of them down and scold them for at least an hour if he didn’t. And once she was done, his own aunt would lay into him with another round of chastising. If he had anything to say about it, he was going to avoid that and keep Clarice out of trouble too.

He spotted her sitting on one of the rungs of the wooden ladder up to the hay loft, her jean jacket dotted with bits of hay. There were other ladders that had been brought in so people could climb up into the hayloft and then jump off onto the pile of mattresses that had been brought in just for that purpose. 

As he handed a cup to Clarice, he heard a familiar whoop and glanced over to see Lorna and Marcos drop through the air and crash onto the mattresses. They laughed and flailed about, Lorna rolling over Marcos and dropped off the edge onto some of the leftover hay.

“Do. Not. Drink. The. Eggnog,” Clarice said, then tilted her cup in the direction of Lorna and Marcos, “They did.”

John made a face and reached over to pluck a piece of hay from her dark hair. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“Wish I was,” Clarice said before taking a sip of the drink he had handed her. “Marcos’ dad is going to—”

“He can stay at my house,” John said quickly, knowing that Marcos’ dad wouldn’t react well to his son being drunk.

Clarice smiled and reached out for him, her hand resting on his elbow. “How’d you get to be so good?”

“I’m not good,” John said, running his hand through his hair, a tad embarrassed. He leaned against the ladder, one boot resting on one of the lower rung.

“You are, too,” Clarice protested, turning toward him. “And don’t argue with me on it, I’m not changing my mind.” She stood up, her hand wrapped around the ladder, and stole a quick kiss. “But I like you when you’re having a rare bad moment, too, so don’t freak out.”

John grinned at her. “Good to know.”


End file.
